With literally thousands of brands and styles available, online shopping makes it more convenient and interesting than ever to buy women’s shoes. Websites offer brands and styles not always available in the local shops. The variety is breathtaking. Want high heels? Choose from hundreds of combinations of style, color and height. Flats? From comfort seeking to fashion conscious and every style in between, you can find a shoe to fit any need. Boots or sandals compliment your wardrobe no matter what the season. Looking for athletic shoes? Whether you’re a runner, a walker, or a busy mom, the sneakers you need are only a click away.

Finding your best fit

The very first step in finding that perfect pair of shoes is determining the correct size and width for your feet. It is difficult to look fabulous in those brand-new flashy heels when your feet are pinched and blistered from an ill-fitting pair of shoes! Remember that even standard shoe sizes can vary by brand. Almost every well-known brand has a sizing chart available on their website. A quick search can help determine your size in the brand you are buying.

It is best to measure your feet in the afternoon or evening, after you have been walking about most of the day. Feet change slightly throughout the day from heat and the pressure of walking. It’s best to buy women’s shoes that will fit comfortably at the end of a long day.

To determine your ideal shoe size, begin by standing on a piece of paper in your bare feet. With your feet flat and your weight slightly forward, draw an outline around each foot. Measure the widest point and the length of each outline to find your ideal size. It is quite common to have one foot slightly wider or longer than the other, so be sure to measure both feet and buy the size that will fit the larger foot. If you fall between two sizes, it is best to go to the slightly larger size for the best fit.

Shoes for Your Body Style

Everyone who has ever seen spandex worn badly, or a Speedo or bikini on a less-than-perfect figure knows that not every style flatters every body type. Keep this in mind when you buy women’s shoes.

All women are built differently. Wide shoulders and an apple shape call for vivid footwear that balances the portrait by drawing interest downward. If the hips and thighs are the more rounded pear shape, pointed toes and detail tend to lengthen the silhouette, slenderizing and balancing the look. Petite women should avoid boots that cut off their length by coming half-way up the calf and should instead opt for knee- or thigh-high styles. Sandals with a vertical strap will lengthen the leg. Ladies with longer legs may want to stick to a more subdued style so as not to overpower their look. While flats and rounded-toe shoes flatter tall women, longer legs can be shown off nicely with a stylish heel.